The area came under ferocious attack with almost the entire length of Towamba Rd, from Eden into Towamba, burnt from edge to edge. The area was cut off with no power, no water, no internet - but now some residents face further trials.

Having lost everything they wait to hear whether they will be allowed to rebuild on their land, which in some cases has lost its building entitlement since they purchased it. Residents say changes to the Local Environmental Plan of 2013 have meant some rural blocks must be 120ha minimum size before they have a building entitlement.

On Tuesday night council staff and councillors attended a meeting at Towamba Hall where the 120ha (about 300 acres) minimum lot size became a major topic with residents' frustration evident.

Read also: Council promises support

But Mayor Kristy McBain said the council was there to support everyone and would continue to do so. Both Cr McBain and council's general manager Leanne Barnes promised to work with the community to solve the zoning issue. They urged people to register with the recovery centre and promised "no big stick" for those who had built without a DA or building entitlement.

Read also: A desire to return to their blocks

Bruce Honeyman is secretary of a company-owned 500-acre block in Pericoe which has 30 shares. It had 11 homes on the block - all bar one, have been lost in the fires and all were uninsured. But there is only one building entitlement on the block.

Read also: Another burden for fire-affected

Mr Honeyman wants to see the block converted to community title and in responding to his question, council's director community, environment and planning Alice Howe said there was a "development pathway for people on a shared company title now".

Sharon Bobbin at Nullica has a 60-acre block which had a 100-year-old home and a second home that was built to replace the one lost after the fires of 1952. The original homestead where Mr and Mrs Bobbin lived after they were first married was lost in the fires that ripped through Nullica on the weekend of January 4-5. The couple has owned the land for 40 years and only want to replace what has been in existence previously - but there's no building entitlement.

Cr Russell Fitzpatrick, who attended the meeting, said a photo of the old building should be enough proof needed.

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